Tube cleaner



Feb. 7, 1928.

1,658,617 A. H. SWARTZ ET AL TUBE CLEANER Filed May 26 1 927 :1 Hanna n in -"tow near the attached end of the head in a man- Patented Feb. 7, 1928..

PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H. SW'ARTZ, OI CLEVELAND, AND DOUGLAS S. TUCKER, 01E CLEVELAN HEIGIETS, OHIO.

TUBE CLEANER.

will enable this replacement to be effected with a minimum of labor and skill.

Economical original construction and durability in use are also objects of the inven tion. The invention is illustrated in the drawings hereof, and is hereinafter more fully explained with reference to such drawlugs, and the essential novel features are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of our cleaner; Fig. 2 is a cross section through the pivots of the arms, as

indicated by the line 2-2 on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view. through the pivot of an arm at right angles to Fig. 2 as illustrated by the line 3-3 on Fig. 2; Fig. 4; is a perspective of therotary clai'nping cap; Fig. 5 is a perspective of the rotary header body; Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the arms, and fig 7 is a detail in central longitudinal section parallel withFig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the body of the device comprises a substantially cylindrical barrel 10, having a plurality of radially extending parallel sided grooves 11.

four ofthese grooves beingshown. Extend ing from one end of this body 15 a threaded stud 12 to which the driving connection may be attached. This driving connection ordi uarily includes a universal joint indicated at 20, 21 and 22 in Fig. 1. a In such case, the member 22 has a threaded bore to re ceive the stud 12 of the head 10.

The pivoted arms which carry the cutters are pivotally mounted in the grooves 11 1927. Serial No. 134,357.

ner which is an important partof our in vention and W111 now be descr1bed.

Each cutter designated is rotatably journaled on a stud 41, which extends into a cylindrical bore 31 in the arm 80. The stud is locked in the arm by a transverse pin 50, which extends through the arm, occupyingaligned holes 32 therein and a substantially semi'cylindrical recess in the stud. These same pins furnish the means of pivotally connecting the arms to the head. To this end we provide recesses 142 in the body of the head on opposite sides of each slot 11, adjacent the attached end of the head and the projecting portions of the pin 50 on opposite sides of the arm occupying these recesses. The recesses have a total depth (lengthwise of the head) only slightly greater than the diameter of the pin. 50. it hus results that pins are not only journalcd in the recesses, so as to be rotatable therein. but have their outermost portions substair tially flush with theend surface of the head, so that the pins may be retained in. place by a cap extending straight across the end of the head over the recesses.

It will be seen that the construction described in the last paragraph not only enables the cutter with its supporting stud to be readily connected to the arm and disconnected therefrom, by shoving the pin 50 in or out, but this same pm by simply occupying the end opening recesses furnishes the pivots for the arms. It is only necessary therefore, to provide a convenient stop member engaging the outer side of the pins to hold the parts properly assembled. The

stop member referred to comprises the cap having a number of inwardly facing bosses 61 separated by grooves 62. There are as many of these grooves as there are grooves 11 in the body, and they are of the: same transverse dimension and location, so that. when the cap is placed against the body, for the operation of the arm 30 while the bosses 61 abutting the pins 50 holdthem in place.

The 6 0 surrounds the stud 12, and

the grooves 62 provide further space is held on the body by the driven member 22 of the universal joint referred to, which abuts the cap. To prevent rotation of the cap independently of the body we may form a square boss 15 on the body, which occupies a square central hole in the center of the cap.

It will be noticed that the projecting end portions of the pivot pins 50 are made hemh spherical. This enables their easy insertion in the openings 32 in the arms, these pins having an easy sliding fit through the arms and across the studs so that they may be inserted or removed without special tools. The recesses 14 are semi-cylindrical for a depth about equal to one-half the diameter of the pin and then terminate in a surface which is a quarter sphere. This provides a proper bearing for the hemispherical end of the pin. It is also a form of groove which may be readily milled inthc head.

The inner faces of thearms 3O beyond the region of the pivot pins are chamfered as at 33, and the outer ends of the arms are also cut'ofi' diagonally, as at 34, to provide space for enabling the arm to swing outwardly in use.

It will be seen that our device involves comparatively few parts and may be readily constructed, and is very easy of assemblage. This latter is a particularly important point, for with the frequent breakage of such tools, ready separation of parts and their re-asseinblage is essential. done in locations where there is considerable dirt, that is, adjacent the boiler being cleaned, and it is important that there be no small parts to become lost in such dirt. It is also important the repairs may be made by comparatively unskilled labor, and without special tools. v

With our device, when breakage occurs, it issimply necessary to unscrew the head from the driving universal joint, remove the cap, then removethe broken arm or the arm carrying the broken cutter, a fresharin. being then supplied, or a fresh cutter, as the case may be. The latter is conveniently connected to the arm by inserting a pin 30 and then the assembled arm, cutter, studand pin are simply placed in the proper slot 11. with the projecting ends of the pin 50 in the recesses 14;, and then the cap plate returned and the universal joint screwed into the place.

lVe claim:

l. A tool of the character described, comprising a rotary grooved body, arms adapt ed to occupy the grooves of the body and having projecting pivot pins, recesses in the bodyon opposite sides of the grooves lead ing from one end of the body and of a depth substantially the same as, the diameter of the pivot pins, and a cap held on the body and abutting the end of the body, and

.cap having bosses engaging the furnishing means This is ordinarily the ends of slots of the bodv and extending across the ends of the recesses to engage the pivot pins.

2. In a tool of the character described, the combination of a body having longitudinal grooves parallel with its axis, cutter carrying arms occupying said grooves, extending through these arms, some distance from the inner ends, said pins extending beyond the sides of the arms and occupying recesses in opposite sides of the groove, which recesses lead to the end of the head, and a end of the body and overlapping the recesses, said cap havinggrooves between its bosses registering with the grooves of the body and adapted to receive the portion of the arms beyond the pivot pins.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotary head having a plurality of longitudinal grooves, each groove having in opposite sides adjacent one end ot the body a recess leading inwardly, hollow arms, cutters. studs carrying the cutters and occupying bores of the arms, projecting pins occupying recesses in the studs and locking the studs to the arms and for pivoting the arms to the body, said pins being adapted to occupy said recesses, the recesses being of such depth that when the pins are in place therein they are substantially tangent to the plane oi. the end of the body, a cap having grooves thereincorresponding in size and position to those of the body, said grooves having flat-faced bosses between them, the grooves 'o'l' the cap furnishing space for the inner pivot pins ill] ends of the arms while the bosses of the cap hold the pivot pins ccsses. j 4. In a tool of the character dcscribed,the combination of a body having a groove with recesses in its opposite sides leading a short distance inwardly from ,the end of the body, said grooves being rounded laterally, a hollow arm occupying the groove and having a laterally projecting pivot pin extend ing therethrough with rounded ends occupy ing the recesses, a cutter beyond the end of the arm, a stud carrying-the cutter and occupying the bore of the arm and having a transverse recess which the pin occupies, the arm extendingbeyond the end of the body, and a rap having a gro ive to receive the projecting portion of the arm and abutting portionsto engage the end of the body over the recessesand thereby hold the pivot pins in place.

In a tool of the cha actor described, the combination of a rotary head having a slotted body. arms adapted tooccupy the having projecting emispherical ends, semiin the body on opposite in place in the body repivot pins with cylindrical recesses sides of the slots leading from one end of the body and terminating in rounded ends lltl iii a distance from the end of the body substantially the some as the diameter of the pivot pins, a cap having bosses abutting the ends of the body and engaging the pivot pins to hold them in the recesses, said cap having grooves between its bosses registering with the grooves of the body and adapted to receive the portion of the arm beyond the pivot pin, it threaded stud on the body projecting through the cap, and a driving eon- 1 neetion engaging said stud.

In testimony whereof, We hereunto affix our signatures.

ALFRED H. SWARTZ. DOUGLAS s. TUCKER. 

